Feeding mechanism for paperboard container handling machine

ABSTRACT

An adjustable paperboard sheet hopper backstop means and a sheet moving kicker means adjustable relative to said backstop with an adjusting means for moving the backstop in accordance with sheet width and, at the same time, moving the reciprocable slide carrying the kicker relative to the backstop means so that the backstop and kicker can be adjusted while the machine is being operated and without use of tools.

[451 Apr. 16, 1974 United States Patent [191 Hottendorf 3,653,654 4/1972 Carlsson 271/144 324,195 8/1885 Walker..........................,....271/139 FEEDING MECHANISM FOR PAPERBOARD CONTAINER HANDLING MACHINE [75] Inventor: William J. Hottendorf, Los Altos H1115 Cahf- Primary Examiner-Even C. Blunk [73] Assignee: Ametek, Inc., New York, NY.

Assistant Examiner-Bruce l-l. Stoner, Jr.

Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Smythe & Moore [22] Filed: Apr. 14, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 244,224

ABSTRACT Related U.S. Application Data Continuation of Ser. No. 78,483, Oct. 6, 1970, abandoned.

An adjustable paperboard sheet hopper backstop means and a sheet moving kicker means adjustable relative to said backstop with an adjusting means for IF 1 2 l. 00 6 55 5 [i .1.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,006,276 10/1961 Deslauriers et a1, 271/139 X 3 Chill IS, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAPRWBM I 38041402 sum 2 of 2 Q w/Q &

INVENTO R Mum/w J #0 run/001w w @Mm ATTORNEYS' FEEDING MECHANISM FOR PAPERBOARD CONTAINER HANDLING MACHINE This is a continuation of US. Pat. application Ser. No. 78,483, filed Oct. 6, 1970, now abandoned.

This invention relates to paperboard box making and handling machines and especially to the mechanism for feeding sheets of varying widths or sizes thereto.

Paperboard box making machines for production of corrugated boxes must perform various operations on sheets of different dimensions depending upon the size of the box to be made. It takes considerable time to reset the present machines when a change is made from one size to another Also, it is desirable to make corrective adjustments when needed and while the machine is running. Present machines require considerable time and labor to make the aforementioned changes.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a paperboard sheet handling machine which is readily adjustable to operate on various size of sheets.

Another of the objects of the invention is to provide an adjustable sheet feeding arrangement which is simple and easy to adjust even while the machine is in operation.

A still further object of the invention is to provide for adjustment of the stacking and feeding parts relative to the machine and each other without use of tools.

In one aspect of the invention, the backstops or one of the sheet edge positioning means is movable relative to the frame of the machine to accommodate the width of sheet to be treated. At the same time, the kicker or reciprocable sheet movers or advancers can be ad justed so as to. maintain the requiredposition relative to the backstop means. The two adjusting means can be connected with a single power driven means, such as an electric motor, that can be activated by the operator.

These and other objects, features and advatages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and drawings which are merely exemplary.

In the drawings:

FlG. l is a schematic perspective of one type of machine with which the invention can be used;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective, partly in section, showing one of the elements of the adjustment means, two being normally employed; and

FIG. 3 is a broken sectional view taken in the direction 3-3 of FIG. 1. The present invention will be described in conjunction with a gluer-folder paperboard box forming machine but it can be used on other types of box making and handling machines wherein a sheet is to be moved from a stack of sheets or position, and the machine must be able to be adjusted for different size boxes or sheet blanks.

A gluer-folder is generally indicated at (FlG. 1) wherein hopper I1 is mounted on frame 12. Sheets 13 are moved from the bottom of the stack of sheets towards a gluing station 14, a sheet being moved by conveyor 15 as is known in the art. The conveying means carries the sheet in the direction 16 and through the folding station 17 while the various folds are made. the folded and then glued flat box being delivered to the station 18. Sheets 20 can then be delivered to a stacker or other delivery point.

The hopper 13 has forward edge positioning elements 21 which can be fixed to the frame 12 as desired.

Adjustable backstops 22 position the rear edge of sheets 13.

Reciprocable kicker or sheet moving plates or sheet delivering elements 23 are mounted on kicker bar 24 (FIGS. 2, 3) carried on reciprocable slide 25. Reciprocable slide 25 is reciprocated on knocker or kicker shaft 26 by arms 27, 28 driven by oscillating shaft 29 which is'connected to the driving mechanism for the particular machine arranged to deliver sheets at predetermined times. Bracket 30 connects the reciprocating means to slide 25.

Adjustment of the backstops will first be described. Backstop 22 is mounted on backstop support 31 which can have a width of sheet indicator 32 which cooperates with scale 33. The forward edge 34 of the backstop has a conventional surface for cooperation with the edges of the sheetto be moved.

The distance from the forward face of backstop 22 to front positioning elements 21 must be adjusted in accordance with the width of sheet 13. Backstop bar 31 is connected to a precision nut arrangement 35 which is connected by bracket 36 to backstop support 31. Support bracket 37 holds one end of screw shaft 38, the other end thereof being journaled in bracket 39. Brackets 37 and 39 are suitably held on the frame or a portion 12 of the machine.

Screw 38 can be driven by motor 40A which is connected by belt 41A to motor 40A and pulley 42A.

The kicker slide 25 has a precision nut 40 engageable by screw threads 41 of screw shaft 42. Screw shaft 42 is positioned longitudinally in the kicker slide 25 by thrust collars 43 and 44. Screw shaft 42 has an elongated keyway 45 therein which slidably engages with a key (not shown) in gear 49. Journal 46 is held in position in frame member 47 by thrust collars 47A. Gear 48 on screw 38 is connected to gear 49 by an intermediate pinion 50.

Rotation of screw 38 by motor 40A is transmitted to screw shaft 42 through the gears 48, 49, 50 and thence to precision nut 40 which will longitudinally position kicker bar 24 on slide 25.

Inasmuch as slide 25 reciprocates to move sheets from the stack into the machine, shaft 42 must reciprocate relative to bearing 46 which is made possible by the sliding of shaft 42 in the bearing 46.

Thus, it should be apparent that when it is desired to position backstops 22, such can be accomplished by merely pressing a control button 51 to operate motor 40A. Such will cause screw 38 to rotate and longitudinally position the backstop 22, and at the same time,

screw shaft 42 is rotated so as to likewise position kicker bar 24 relative to backstop 22. When the machine' is set into operation, slide 25 will reciprocate back and forth because of the sliding relation of screw shaft 42 in journal 46. Also, adjustment is possible while the machine is running and slide 25 is reciprocating because of the sliding movement between the parts.

It should be apparent that variations in details of construction can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention except as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. ln a feed mechanism for a paperboard machine, the combination including hopper means for receiving sheets, adjustable backstop means for said hopper for positioning sheets of varying sizes in said hopper means, reciprocating kicker slide means reciprocably mounted on said machine, first rotatable screw thread shaft means associated with said kicker slide means, kicker means adjustably mounted on said first screw thread shaft means of said kicker slide means, and adjusting means associated with said backstop means and said kicker means for movement of the same, including a second rotatable screw thread shaft means associated with said backstop means and interconnected by gearing means with said first rotatable screw thread shaft means, for adjustably moving said backstop means relative to said hopper means for adjustably and simultaneously moving said kicker means on said slide means.

2. A machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the screw thread means for moving the kicker means is slidable relative to the machine so that the slide means can reciprocate.

3. A machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the interconnected screw thread shafts are connected to a motor for rotating the same. 

1. In a feed mechanism for a paperboard machine, the combination including hopper means for receiving sheets, adjustable backstop means for said hopper for positioning sheets of varying sizes in said hopper means, reciprocating kicker slide means reciprocably mounted on said machine, first rotatable screw thread shaft means associated with said kicker slide means, kicker means adjustably mounted on said first screw thread shaft means of said kicker slide means, and adjusting means associated with said backstop means and said kicker means for movement of the same, including a second rotatable screw thread shaft means assocIated with said backstop means and interconnected by gearing means with said first rotatable screw thread shaft means, for adjustably moving said backstop means relative to said hopper means for adjustably and simultaneously moving said kicker means on said slide means.
 2. A machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the screw thread means for moving the kicker means is slidable relative to the machine so that the slide means can reciprocate.
 3. A machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the interconnected screw thread shafts are connected to a motor for rotating the same. 